CSG company suspends NSW operations

Coal seam gas company Dart Energy has announced it is suspending all field operations in New South Wales and slashing 70 per cent of its workforce in response to tighter controls on the industry.

The announcement comes on the heels of new federal environmental laws covering CSG projects, and stricter regulations on the industry in NSW, including a ban on drilling near homes.

Dart says it is putting its projects in New South Wales on hold until a new policy approach is adopted in Australia.

Company chairman Nick Davies said in a statement that Dart's board is extremely disappointed with the uncertainty created by the state and federal government decisions.

He says the consequences are that investment's leaving the country and Australian jobs are being lost.

The company is now focusing on projects in the UK, which it says is actively seeking to support the industry.

Earlier another CSG exploration company said it would review its coal seam gas projects.

Planet Gas has used its annual report to criticise additional regulations which include buffer zones around certain residential areas.

It says the zones have limited technical basis and contradict previous rules.

It has described New South Wales as a 'high risk jurisdiction'.

Four Corners

Federal Independent MP Tony Windsor says he is concerned coal seam gas projects could have been rushed through without proper governmental oversight.

On last night's Four Corners program, whistleblower Simone Marsh revealed that in 2010 she and her colleagues were not given enough time or basic information to assess two southern Queensland projects worth $38 billion.

The Greens are calling for an immediate freeze on CSG mining and exploration, saying miners are "essentially writing their own permits".

"Four Corners last night made very clear to all Australians just how inadequate the scientific base has been for the approval that has been given by state governments and the FederalGovernment for ongoing coal seam gas," Greens leader Christine Milne said.

"This is the end of the fossil fuel age and we should not be driving a new fossil fuel industry at this time."

Rick Wilkinson from industry representative the Australian Petroleum, Production and Exploration Association is satisfied the approval process for the two Queensland projects was appropriate.

"I think it's right and proper that there should be whistleblowers, and if something is not right then they should raise it," he said.

"But I'm confident, from what I've seen, that the right processes were followed and there were many checks and balances on the way through."